Ore reduction apparatus



/ June 27, 1944.

v H. G. TWIFORD ORE REDUCTION APPARATUS Filed March 2'7, 1942 I 2Shets-Sheet 1 Patented June 27, 1944- I UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE2,352,41s onaniznnctr-rorq APPARATUS Harry rwifor'd, its Angeles, Calif.Application March27, 1942, Serial No. 436,504 20laims. relate-as) Myinvention relates to improvements in ore reductionapparatus for use inrecovering metals and other properties from ore. I

The invention is designed with-the principal object in. View ofproviding efficient, simplyconstructed and easily controlled apparatusfor feeding under pressure fine particles of ore and flux directly toheat at a temperature sufficient to through the openings l3, [4 by meansof any suitable injector-type gas or oil burners, such as shown, forexample, in Figure 2 and designated l3, M, respectively. 7

Above and .to one side'of the furnace l is a "closed ore supply tank l5for receiving finely bring the particles immediatel to a melting point,thereby obviating any mass accumulation.

Other and subordinate objects are-also comprehended by my invention, allofwhich, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will bereadily understood when the succeeding description and claims arereadwith reference to the drawings accompanying this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my im-- proved apparatus in itspreferred embodiment,

around the wall 2 and chamber 3 with a top I arching over the top of theinner chamber 3. The chamber 3 is provided with a downwardly tapering,substantially conical, bottom well 8 opening into one end of a lateralpassage 9 which at its other end communicates with a vertical passagel0. An annular, internal baflle forming ledge 3' extends around thechamber 3 at its juncture with the well 8. I

At the juncture of the passages 9, I is a slag discharge outlet duct l linclining downwardly from the bottom of the passage 9. Contiguous to andspaced inwardl from said duct II is a small, metal collecting sump l2 inthe bottom of the passage 9 having a downwardly and outwardly inclinedmetal discharge duct l2 leading from the bottom thereof.

0n the side of the furnace opposite the passage Ill, a lateral openingI3 is provided in the outer wall of the furnace for supplying heat tothe bottom of the outer combustion chamber 6. A similar opening I4 isprovided beneath the opening l3 for introducing heat into the innercombustion chamber 3 at the juncture thereof with the bottom well 8.

It is contemplated that heat be introduced and forming part of 1 dividedorev introduced therein by way of a hop,- per lfi surmounting the tankwith a suitable control valve IT 'at the bottom thereof. A pressuregauge I8 is provided on top of the ore supply tank [5 for a purposepresently seen.

Beneath/the ore supply tank I5 is a pressure storage tank 19 for aircommunicating with the bottom of the ore supply tank 15 adjacent oneside of the latter by means of a, pipe 20 having a suitable controlvalve 2| interposed therein. A

nipple 22 at the bottom of the pressure storage tank I9 is provided forsuitable connection to an. air compressor, not shown.

Extending from the opposite side of the ore supply tank I5 is .a lateralore supply ,pipe 24 1 having a suitable control valve 25 interposedtherein, said pipe opening into a vertical branch pipe 26 extendingdownwardly through the top of the furnace I axially of the innercombustion chamber 3 into the top of the latter.

An emergency pressure release valve 21 is provided in the upper end ofthe branch pipe 26.

The passage l0 opens adjacent its upper end into a laterally extendingbranch 21' of a gas condensing unit, said pipe having a downturnedbranch 28 extending into a condensation tank 29.

A trap 30 for condensates, or precipitates, is interposed in the branch21.

An emergency safety valve 3| for pressure relief is provided at the topof the passage l0.

Referring now to the operation and use of the described apparatus, withthe valves 2|, 25 closed and the valve I! open, the ore supply tank I5is filled with finely divided ore to the desired level. The valve I! isthen closed and the valve 2| opened to introduce compressed air from thecompressed air storage tank l9 into the ore supply tank l5 until thepressure is built up therein, as indicated by the pressure gauge [8,well above the pressure existing in the furnace I. The valve 25 is thenopened, whereupon, the finely divided ore is ejected under pressure fromthe ore supply tank I5 and through pipes 24, 26 into the innercombustion chamber 3. The air introduced with the ore into the furnacefacilitates combustion, as will be clear. It will be understood that thetemperature in the furnace I, that is, in the chambers 3 and 6, has beenraised to bring the ore introduced therein to the melting point. Theheat introduced into the outer combustion chamber 6 rises and curvesover the top of the wall 2 down into the combustion chamber 3 and alongwith the heat supplied to the latter passes downwardly along the innerwall of said chamber 3 and of the well 8 into the passage 9 and up thepassage it) into the described condenser. The trap 30 eliminates thecondensates or precipitates, A

As will be seen, theore is caused under a downward flow of air to alsofloat downwardly into the inner chamber 3, or center of the furnace,with the air to the passage 9 and the fine ore follows the hot wall ofthe chamber 3 and is immediately melted thereon. At the baffle ledge 3'the melted ore is slightly retarded in its downward flow and subjectedat the top of the well 8, particularly, to added heat and then flowsdown the wall of the well 8 to the passage 9. As it travels through thepassage 9 the melted metal settles in the sump l2 and dischargestherefrom.

by way of the port i2, while the slag passes out of the discharge portH. The wall 2, aswill be seen, is heated on both'isides and therebyprovides a centralized hot zone into which the ore is directly deliveredto facilitate melting.

The foregoing will, it isbelieved, suffice to impart a clearunderstanding-of my invention without'further explanation. I

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modificationwithout departing from the inventive concept, andright is hereinreserved to such modifications as fallwithin the scope of the subjoinedclaims.

.What I claim is;

l. Qre reduction apparatus comprising a furnace including a centralizedsolid inner cylindrical wall forming an inner open top circularcombustion. chamber, a downwardly tapering well at .the bottom of saidchamber into which the latter opens directly, an outer side and topforming wall spaced from said inner wall and the top of the innerchamber and forming an annular outer combustion chamber surrounding saidinner wall and inner chamber from top to bottom thereof andcommunicating at its top with said inner chamber, lateral apertures insaid outer wall communicating with the bottoms of said inner and outerchambers, respectively, for containing burners, a lateral dischargepassage for molten metal in said furnace. leading from the bottom ofsaid well to the outside atmosphere, means to feed finely divided oreunder pressure downwardly through the top of the outer wall into the topof the inner chamber, a condenser for the gases passing through saidlateral discharge passage, and a vertical passage leading from saidlateral discharge passage adjacent the outer end thereof to saidcondenser.

2. Ore reduction apparatus comprising a furnace including a centralizedsolid inner cylindrical wall forming an inner open top circularcombustion chamber, a downwardly tapering well at the bottom of saidchamber into which the latter opens directly, an outer side and topforming wall spaced from said inner wall and the top of the innerchamber and forming an annular outer combustion chamber surrounding saidinnerwall and inner chamber from top to bottom thereof and communicatingat'its top with said inner I chamber, lateral apertures in said outerwall communicating with the bottoms of said inner and outer chambers,respectively, for containing burners, a lateral discharge passage formolten metal in said furnace leading from the HARRY G. rwrronn, v

